Automotive testing giant MIRA has been sold to Japanese company HORIBA.

The Kyoto-based firm is also a world leader in automotive test systems and sees it is expanding its operation through the purchase of the global advanced vehicle engineering, research and product testing business operated by the A5 company.

The investment was completed today and will see the company now be known as HORIBA MIRA Ltd.

Collectively the two companies have 140 years of experience in their respective fields, with both celebrating 70 years of operation in 2015/16.

The sale will allow MIRA to continue with its ambitious plans for growth by building on its unparalleled reputation in vehicle research and development, engineering and testing.

The sale will also allow MIRA to invest in its current facilities and enhance its capabilities on a global scale.

Atsushi Horiba, chairman, president and CEO of HORIBA, said: “We are pleased that MIRA - a hugely successful business within the automotive sector - has become a member of HORIBA Group.

“MIRA has developed a niche offer within the automotive sector and has an exceptional pool of engineering capabilities, solving complex challenges with customers across the UK, China, Brazil and Korea.

"We are looking forward to building on this success and investing in MIRA’s long-term vision, working together to build on our collective research and development capabilities. Together, we aim to be shaping journeys for another 140 years.”

Dr George Gillespie, CEO at HORIBA MIRA Ltd, said: “Our vision for MIRA and MIRA Technology Park is to grow significantly, and by working together with HORIBA, we have created an exciting plan that will allow us to accelerate that vision.

"The planned investments into MIRA will allow us to continue to realise our ambitions and has also helped identify a number of additional areas of opportunity and investment in both facilities and technical capabilities.

“In the immediate future, it’s business as usual. Our customers continue to access our engineering and testing services as well as our full Technology Park offering and our employees continue to be part of an internationally acclaimed test and engineering consultancy, unrivalled in its global expertise and facilities.”